Dr Watson's Sing Along Blog
by Chasing Aspirations
Summary: John's not got an easy life. Fulfilling his lifelong dream of getting into the evil criminal web of evil isn't easy, and neither is taking all those beatings from Colonel Moran, corperate tool... but maybe, if he manages to pull of this one heist he can finally get Moriarty's approval AND finally work up the nerve to talk to his neighbour, Sherlock Holmes.
1. Act 1

**A/N: I dedicate this bout of sleep deprived insanity to the wonderfully talented Wholockian over on youtube (or wholockian-221b on tumblr) whose incredible video (seriously, check it out!) inspired this monstrosity :) Hopefully you'll enjoy the madness though. This fic is set in an au!verse but has strong references to both series of Sherlock and of course to Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog so warning? ALL THE SPOILERS ;) (Well not all of them, but it's better to be safe than sorry). With no further ado, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog... and as you'll find out while reading this, that's probably a good thing.**

Dr Watson's Sing Along Blog- Act 1

Entry Date 31st January: Just a quick update on my life. My evil laugh is coming along, I've been working with Ella, my vocal coach, to strengthen the 'ahhaa'... An evil laugh is important okay? I mean, if you're going to get into the evil criminal web of evil you have to have something memorable about you. Think of Moriarty with his pips...

Haven't got a response from the web yet... but my application is a lot stronger this year than most. I've got a 'letter of condemnation' from the deputy at the yard... that's got to mean something so, fingers crossed.

And before I forget, the trans-matter ray is 75% functional and, more importantly, the Freeze-Ray is almost finished... This is the one, I just know it, this is the one that will show him the way, show him that I'm a true villain... anyway, it stops time, let's see the Colonel deal with _that_ one.

Comments

2sly4you: hey genius. Where are the gold bars you were supposed to pull out of that bank vault with your trans-matter ray? Obviously it's not functional or it would be in the papers.

Dr.W: They're not going to say anything in the press, they don't want to people to panic. And the ray is functional because I do have the gold bars here... well they aren't exactly bars anymore but they were transported in bar form... it's not about making money, it's about taking money. I managed to get the bars... that has to count for something right?

andersonisawesome: Dr. Watson. I see you are once again afraid to do battle with your nemesis. I waited outside Bart's hospital for 45 minutes and you still didn't show.

Dr. W: Ok, Anderson for the last time you're not my nemesis. My nemesis is Colonel Moran... who dislocated my shoulder last week... again... that's not important, what's important is that I'm going to change the world, OK? I don't have time for a grudge match with a forensic scientist with an obsession for dinosaurs. Besides, there's civilians in that hospital, so…

andersonisawesome: One of these days you shall face you nemesis, until then Dr. Watson.

Dr.W: I'm NOT your nemesis!

deadnotsleeping: I've followed you for a while now and I've finally plucked up the courage to leave you a comment :) I have to say I'm a huge fan of your work- the aluminium crutch switching ray was definitely one of the most promising you've made and this freeze ray also sounds amazing! Now I have to ask because I've been wondering for a while now about this... you always say on your blog that you will 'show him the way, show him you are a true villain'. Who is 'he' and does he even know that you're a villain?

Dr.W: Thanks. Um... do I really always say that?

Dr.W: Just checked and it seems that I do say that a lot. Well _he _is my brilliant and insane neighbour... and no, I'm not even sure he's aware I exist.

John stared at the words he'd just typed, frowning at the reality of them as his mind wandered to the curly haired man who lived across the hall from him...

_Everyday  
See your door  
Letter B  
Next to mine  
Wanna say  
"hey, I'm John"  
Notice me?  
Pass me by  
_  
_With my Freeze-Ray I will STOP the world  
With my Freeze-Ray I will find the time to find the words_

Tell you how  
How you make  
Make me feel  
What's the phrase?  
Like a fool  
Idiot  
Anderson  
Any ways

_With my Freeze-Ray I will STOP the pain  
It's not a death-ray or an aluminium switching ray_

I just think I need time to say  
That I'm the guy to make it real  
The feelings you don't dare to feel  
I'll bend the world to our will  
And we'll make time stand still

That's the plan  
Rule the world  
You and me  
Any day

_"Hey I'm John." Sherlock runs straight past him, phone at his ear as he yells instructions to a team of police officers who are protesting angrily at the other end of the phone. "Anyway."_

With my Freeze-ray I will stop…

"Hey John." John blinked, startled from his daydream as his friend and partner in crime Lestrade entered with a couple of beers and his mail. "Hey Lestrade, my evil detective buddy. What's going on?"

Lestrade offered him a grin, "Oh you know, chasing criminals, living a life of crime." It was something that endlessly amused both of them that Lestrade managed to get away with being a criminal among the people trained to capture them... _the police force really need to up their game or before they know it Moriarty will have crushed them..._ "Got your mail." He tossed the letters into John's lap, stealing his laptop to take a look at the comments on his blog. "I see Anderson still wants you to 'confront your nemesis then'?"

John rolled his eyes, "The man's an idiot Lestrade, not worth my time."

"At least you don't have to work with him." Lestrade pointed out, "He's a lot more annoying in person."

John offers Lestrade a sympathetic look before beginning to flick through his mail, "I saw Sherlock today."

"You talk to him?"

"I tried; he sort of... rushed past me. Didn't really have time to have a proper chat..." He frowned, trying not to read too much into Sherlock's dismissal. He probably just had somewhere that he'd really needed to be and... "Oh my god!" He held the letter with two dots and the letters JM stamped on the back of it up so that Lestrade could see it, his hands shaking slightly as he did.

Lestrade's eyes widened as he took in the letters marked on the envelope, "Is that from the web?"

"It's from HIM! That's his signature isn't it? JM and two pips." John ran the envelope between his hands experimentally, checking that he wasn't just imagining the letter and that it really was real.

"That's amazing John! Moriarty is the king of all criminals, the _consulting _criminal." He paused, eyeing the letter with concern. "Are you sure you want to…?"

"I'm sure." John replied with more confidence than he was feeling in that moment. "This is the letter I've been waiting for ever since I decided to put the ideas of joining the army behind me in order to heal a greater problem, the..."

"...sickness that plagues this world. Really John, you need to come up with a new catchphrase." John ignored him in favour of opening the letter and reading it.

Hi Johnny boy,  
I got your application and I must say I'm very impressed. A letter of condemnation from the yard? You've certainly gotten more _interesting _since your last application... Of course, I can't just offer you a position in my web, you still have to prove yourself so... let the games begin Johnny boy ;) Impress me- commit a crime, show me what you're capable of (if you could, a murder would be lovely. They're always the most interesting). And don't forget Johnny boy that now the Evil criminal web of Evil is watching your every move... so don't disappoint me –JM

Lestrade moved to peer over John's shoulder as he read the letter, wincing at the implied threat in the letter. I mean it _was_Moriarty so he hadn't really expected anything different but... he cared about John. The man was more brilliant than he realised (because really, who else would think of building all of these crazy super-rays anyway?) and more importantly he was Lestrade's best friend. "Well it's not a no…" He offered in the hope of reassuring John who seemed to have retreated into his own thoughts.

"Are you kidding? This is great! I'm about to pull off a major heist." His eyes lit up as he moved over to the freeze ray sitting on his desk, "I'm getting the Wonderflonium that I need for this tomorrow."

"One of Mycroft's armoured cars?"

"Police car. Shouldn't be too challenging..." They shared a grin.

"Want a hand with anything?"

"Thanks, but… Moriarty's watching, I should probably do this on my own." The words _in case I fail and he kills me for it _went unsaid between them but Lestrade could hear them all the same.

"Take care John." He smiled at the man sadly before walking out of the flat and heading for the police station. No doubt by now Sherlock would have driven the team half-insane and while working as a DI was only a cover, he quite enjoyed the job and the people he worked with (well most of them anyway) so it was probably about time to go and do damage control for whatever insults Sherlock had managed to concoct in his absence this time.

John was in a rush, he'd just set up the controller link to the police car and now he needed to find to a concealed spot, ready to activate the device once the Wonderflonium had been loaded into the car. He'd just spotted a promising looking alleyway when he felt someone crash into him from the opposite direction. "Sorry I..." His eyes widened as he looked at the face of the man he'd just crashed into, only to realise that he was staring into Sherlock's eyes...

"John Watson, once aspired to be an army doctor, reconsidered for several reasons, one of them to monitor your brother's drinking the other to pursue another career that a past flame got you interested in. You live in the flat opposite me." He offered his hand, "Sherlock Holmes."

"Hello. You know me?" He tried to hide his smile at that and knew he was probably failing, "That's... amazing, how did you know all of that?"

"The way you checked for injuries immediately after we collided made me aware of your medical training, as for the army part guess, good one though, based on the way you posture yourself. The phone in your hand, not yours it's addressed 'To Harry, Love Clara'. Phone given to you as a present says you and him are close, not going to war in order to look after them says very close so he's your brother. The drinking is evident due to the scratch marks made around the charger slot. Never see a drunk man's phone without them and you hardly seem like the type to drink too much yourself so the drinking habit was your brother's. The career change would have been introduced by someone important to you, not your brother because of his state, not your friends since you had been trying to detach yourself from them to make your enlistment easier on them so, romantic partner. You live alone now so ex-partner..." Sherlock's lips quirk into a slight smile, "And I would assume how I know your name and location would be evident."

John stared at the man, silently musing that he was even more incredible than he'd already thought, "Amazing." He wanted to say more but his phone beeped, drawing his attention away from the man in front of him for a moment as he checked the status of the police car.

Sherlock frowned slightly in confusion at the man's sudden distraction. He'd seemed genuinely interested in what the consulting detective had been saying and now... he was stood there, reading something on his phone and completely ignoring Sherlock's presence. He mused that given the expression on John's face, it wasn't a text that the man was reading but something of considerably greater significance... _interesting _he mused as he realised that there must have been something that he missed about the man in front of him. Now what was it? Slightly nervous shuffle said something to hide but open personality said not a killer, he didn't seem like the type to be involved in a complex criminal organisation either so... a petty criminal perhaps? Something about the deduction seemed inadequate but Sherlock's phone beeping to life distracted him from his train of thought as it displayed a new call from one of the idiots from the yard. John was still ignoring him so he moved away to take the call, offering John a hurried goodbye (he felt an unexplained need to show courtesy to the man... _strange_) before he answered the call.

John looked up from his phone at the sound of Sherlock's voice, realising that the man had walked away to take a call and that his behaviour had probably seemed pretty rude to the consulting detective and yet... "He talked to me." He smiled for a moment, allowing the fact to register within his mind... "Why did he talk to me now? Maybe I should…" His phone beeped again, reminding him of what was at stake here... he _needed _this heist to be a success if he ever wanted to join the evil criminal web of evil... _A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do._He sighed and moved into the alley way, activating the device and driving the wonderflonium towards where he now hid.

Colonel Moran (or Sebastian, but no one called him that anymore) leant back in his convertible, allowing the wind to ruffle his hair in a way that he knew would have his fan girls swooning. Yes, sometimes it was _great _to be the hero. Getting discharged from the army (no one ever needed to know the _real_ reason for that did they?) was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He'd returned to nods of respect and pretty girls and boys batting their eyelashes and falling into his bed with little more effort than a seductive look in their direction... of course the fact that he'd saved the mayor's son's life while he'd been posted in Afghanistan had probably helped him gain that 'hero' status and then, just when he'd been losing the steam that his original 'act of bravery' had provided him with, along came Dr. Watson. Moran smirked as he pictured the doctor, working away at whatever ray he'd decided to try his luck with this time. No doubt the ray would be just as unsuccessful as all of the other rays he'd attempted to build... sometimes; Moran's job was just _too_ easy.

And with that thought he reached down to punch the whirring device that had been added to the top of the car, smirking at the satisfying crunching noise that it made under his fist. He leapt from the vehicle, taking in his surroundings and the _incredibly attractive _man who was busy yelling into his phone, seemingly completely unaware of the car speeding towards him. He moved in front of the man, pushing him aside as he prepared to stop the car and grinning in satisfaction when it stopped in front of him without any effort of his own.

"You idiot!" He smirked as the familiar sound of his nemesis' angry voice filled the air.

"Dr. Watson. I should have known you were behind this."

"You almost killed him!" Watson's face was so angry that Moran couldn't help but chuckle, _how precious, it seems that Doctor Watson has a little crush._

"I remember it differently." He smirked, gripping Watson's neck tightly as he cut off his airways, just enough to choke him... he'd didn't exactly want to kill the man who ensured his continued 'hero' status.  
_

Sherlock pulled himself up from where he'd been unceremoniously tossed into the rubbish piled at the edge of the street. He was slightly frustrated by the treatment but considerably more fascinated by the man who, it seemed, had been capable of stopping a police car at full speed. There was clearly something that Sherlock was failing to observe about the man because the deductions that his mind was providing at the simple observation of his 'saviour' didn't seem to match the profile of a person capable of achieving such a feat. "Thank you Colonel for preventing that car from colliding with me, I'd imagine the end result of such a collision would have been rather unpleasant."

Moran offered the attractive looking man a grin, "Don't worry about it sweetheart, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." A part of Sherlock's mind supplied that this was an incredibly cliqued statement and said much about the man's lack of intellect and yet, a part of him still remained fascinated by this so-called hero (to confirm whether or not he deserved that title required further study of the subject of this 'heroism', he decided) who, it seemed, was capable stopping that van.

John frowned as he watched Moran offer Sherlock a grin that was _far too friendly _for his liking... "Stop looking at him like that." He found himself saying before he could stop himself, but he was completely ignored by the two men who seemed to be locked in some kind of silent conversation with one another. _Did you notice that he threw you into a pile of rubbish? You notice everything? Surely you've noticed that he's a tool that puts even Anderson to shame? _ But Sherlock didn't react to John's silent protests as he continued to observe the man in front of him with a look of fascination that made something incredibly unpleasant stir within John's chest. "I stopped the van! The remote control was in my hand." He waved the remote in the air for emphasis but it was no use as the pair in front of him still remained ignorant to his presence. He frowned, but decided to cut his losses and grab the wonderflonium while he still could. At least then _some _of this mission would be successful. As he left, he couldn't help but notice the way Sherlock seemed to lean closer to Colonel Moran as he talked to the hero and was he... smiling?..._shit_.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the madness, there's a good two acts worth left to go yet ;) Let me know what you all think!**


	2. Act 2

**A/N: Okay so firstly I have to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who read the first chapter of this story, especially to those of you who now have it on alert; I hope you all enjoy the next two acts :)**

**An extra special thanks goes to my two lovely reviewers, **_**sydg813 **_**and**_** rosto4rogue. **_**This chapter is dedicated to you :) I hope you like it!**

**With no further ado, I present ACT 2 of Dr Watson's Sing Along Blog. Enjoy!**

Dr Watson's Sing Along Blog- Act 2

Entry Date 1st February: I know many of you have asked exactly what I think of Colonel Moran and I guess, considering he's my arch nemesis, I kind of expected questions like these. Well internet, here's my summary of the Colonel;

For a start, any dolt with half a brain can see he's a fake because no hero is this much of a dick. I seriously fear for the sanity of you people who actually support this guy. I mean like I said before, what I do is to destroy the status quo... well sometimes I wonder if even poisoning the water supply would upset it because seriously, if you're putting your trust in him, you're practically destroying your own lives anyway. What's the point in villains when you're all so good at destroying yourselves...

I mean the Colonel has no respect for anyone. He objectifies people, or assumes he's above them and he takes everything he wants... like your hopes and dreams... and shatters them apart...

And Sherlock... he doesn't even seem to care that soon the dark in me is all that will remain... dammit he's meant to see everything, why doesn't he see me?

What I mean to say is I'm disgusted by a world willing to believe the filth and lies he spreads around. And that's why I do what I do, in order to heal a greater problem, the sickness that plagues the world. Call that evil? Well in that case, the evil inside of me is on the rise with every passing day.

D-I-V-D-E-R-S-W-E-R-E-N-'-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G

Sherlock sighed as he turned over the facts in his mind, growing rapidly more frustrated by the mystery of 'Colonel' Moran as he tried to make sense of the contradicting evidence that presented itself to him. He'd acquiesced to going on a 'date' with the Colonel in order to make closer observations as to what could possibly have made the man capable of such a supposedly impossible feat. However, all he had proceeded to discover thus far was that the Colonel possessed very little substance behind his signature condescending smirk, something he knew he should not find disappointing considering the feat his was investigating was a physical one. However, despite the endless claims by the subject of his own superior strength and reflexes, Sherlock failed to see anything physically exceptional about the man. If it weren't for the fact that he'd witnessed Moran stop the van in front of his very eyes, he probably would have written this off as impossibility however this was not the case. Therefore, the Colonel's actions, however improbable, had occurred, all that remained now was to figure out how he'd achieved them... and it was this part of his investigation that was proving particularly taxing. Especially as, in order to observe the subject of his study further, he'd been forced to agree to a second 'date' which he no doubt would be equally frustrating dull as the first... yet his pride refused to let him let the matter of Moran's 'super-strength' lie until he'd gotten to the bottom of it.

John stared at Sherlock's door, trying to work up the nerve to knock and actually talk to him... after all, they'd talked a few days ago and sure, since then Sherlock had clearly had a temporary lapse of sanity by actually agreeing to go on a date Colonel Moran, of all people... but he was still Sherlock. And as much as John hated it, he will still completely and hopelessly smitten. He was just about to finally work up the knowledge to knock when he heard a voice coming from behind the door.

"John, are you going to stand outside the door all day because if not, I'd highly appreciate it if I could borrow your phone... the door's unlocked." Sherlock added, seemingly as an afterthought. John stared at the door for a second before taking a deep breath and entering. He quickly spotted the consulting detective, sprawled out across a chair with... was that three nicotine patches on his arm? John knew he was a bit out of practise with the whole doctor thing but... that couldn't be healthy.

He approached him almost cautiously, knowing from Lestrade's stories how much Sherlock hated to be interrupted while he was thinking about something... which was almost always, after all the man was a genius... which was why John was still struggling to understand why this brilliant, incredible man couldn't seen Colonel Moran for the fraud and... well utter _dick_he was.

Sherlock took the phone without even turning to acknowledge John, typing out a quick text and sending it before handing it back to him with a nod of what John guessed was the man's own form of gratitude... he tried not to feel bitter when he thought about the way Sherlock had thanked the Colonel... he'd even smiled at him! Sherlock never smiled! And dammit, John wanted Sherlock to smile at _him _in that way... because his smile was kind of beautiful... And damn, now he was staring. Thankfully Sherlock hadn't noticed yet or at least hadn't acknowledged that he had so John quickly averted his gaze to the coffee table, brow furrowing slightly in confusion when he spotted Sherlock's phone sitting there amongst the piles of papers.

"I would have used my own phone to send the message but there's always chance my number would be recognised and considering the types of people it's often necessary to contact in my line of work, number recognition could prove potentially problematic in certain circumstances..." Sherlock spoke, finally seeming to pay John some notice as he recognised the man's confusion.

"So if I get any calls from a weird number now, it could be a serial killer on the other end of the line?" John quipped, only half serious as he did.

"Potentially... however in this case John you needn't worry, this criminal isn't nearly as interesting." John decided to ignore the comment about a serial killer being more interesting, given the fact that it reminded him a little too much of Moriarty's words in the letter he'd sent... not that Sherlock was anything like Moriarty... well, he supposed, they were similar in both ways. Both were brilliant men and both were far more skilled at what they did than John could ever hope to be... plus they both intimidated people, he guessed in Sherlock's case it was because he was so brilliant most of the time that people found it intimidating but John? He just found it drew him to this extraordinary man...

John belatedly realised the room had descended into an awkward silence... well more awkward for John than for Sherlock given the way the man still seemed lost in some kind of battle with logic... To solve another case, John supposed... at least John hoped it was another case. Something about the thought of Sherlock giving Moran that kind of undivided focus stirred something unpleasant in his gut. "So, how was your weekend?" He asked, telling himself he was asking out of casual curiosity and not in the hopes that Sherlock would confess a sudden realisation about what a dick the Colonel really was because surely spending time with the Colonel would have revealed as much to the consulting genius in front of him?  
"Well, I managed to solve three cases, the last in particular was painfully obvious... took me less than ten minutes to solve... it's a pity that Moriarty's been less active as of late..." If Sherlock noticed the slight flinch John made at the name, he didn't mention it, "...His games were always the most interesting... other than that, little of import other than that I went on what I believe most people call a 'date'..."

John carefully schooled his expression to one which he hoped looked like indifference as he replied, "How was that?"

Sherlock seemed to muse on the subject for a moment before replying, "Interesting... on the surface the man appears to be the atypical cliqued 'cheesy' superhero that very rarely translates from popular fiction into real life. But it appears he may possess some genuine level of 'super' ability... I suppose his character is layered... but there's certainly more to the man than is initially evident."

"Well maybe his character is less layered than you think... and the real Colonel _is_a cheesy superhero with no real power." John ventured, sighing internally at the lack of response he received. "So, you gonna see him again?"

Sherlock nodded, and John tried to ignore the painful tug of his stomach he did, "Later on today, I believe... John, are you aware that you're driving a pen into your leg in a rather aggressive manner?"

John blinked, having completely forgotten the pen he'd been carrying around since earlier when he'd drawn up his master plans for using his freeze ray. He awkwardly moved the pen away from his leg, offering Sherlock a half-smile as he slid his phone back into his pocket and quickly left the apartment before he did anything else to make him look like even more of an idiot in front of Sherlock. As a result, he was completely unaware of curious eyes that followed his hasty retreat and that Sherlock's mind was temporarily distracted from the mystery of Colonel Moran to the perhaps even more fascinating conundrum that John Watson was turning out to be.

D-I-V-D-E-R-S-W-E-R-E-N-'-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G

Entry Date 3rd February: All right, faithful followers of my blog, the wait is over. I have finally completed my Freeze-Ray which with the addition of the Wonderflonium I obtained at my famously successful heist last week, is now fully functional!  
(I say successful in that I achieved my objective and, as a result, am now one step closer to my inevitable acceptance into the evil criminal web of evil. It was, admittedly, less successful in that I inadvertantly introduced my arch-nemesis to the man of my dreams, and now they're going out on dates, and... he said he was interesting... how is that man in anyway interesting?).  
So, as of tonight I am in the Evil Criminal Web of Evil (if all goes according to plan). See you at the aftermath. Peace (...but not literally).

Entry Date 3rd February: It appears the Freeze-Ray needs work. I also need to be a little bit more careful about what I say on this blog since it appears Colonel Moran is among its visitors... He was waiting for me at the Mayor's dedication of the Superhero Memorial Bridge. The Freeze-Ray takes a few seconds to warm up and I wasn't ready... Colonel Moran threw one of the tables at my head.  
Not to worry though, faithful followers, because I'm a doctor for a reason. I'm patched up now and more than ready to continue my battle to rid the world of the sickness that plagues... maybe my friends are right, I do need a new catchphrase.

John sighed as he stared at the words on the screen, icepack still strapped to the side of his face where the table had made impact... thankfully the Colonel wasn't half as strong as people seemed to think or this could have been a whole lot worse... he was quickly drawn out of his thought as he spotted the new message on his blog. It was marked with one pip...

*: Hey there Johnny boy, a friend of mine saw the operation you tried to pull today. Wonderflonium, very classy, but I'm afraid your failure means I have no choice but to decline your application to my web. You see, failure when you work for me is simply not an option... however, I do appreciate that you have a lot of potential. So, I've decided to give you one last chance... assassination Johnny boy, it's all the range in the criminal world and I'd just love to see you get your hands a little dirty ;) Just remember Johnny boy, there will be blood whether or not you decide to take my offer... I'll settle for yours if you prove to be... _disappointing_. So my advice? Don't disappoint me again. I do so look forward to seeing your first kill, believe me Johnny boy there's nothing quite like it. Call me sentimental but I still have the shoes of the victim from mine. Have fun! -JM

John tried not to shudder as he read and reread the message, grateful that Moriarty had at least privately messaged him instead of posting this on the blog because... killing someone? He wasn't really sure how to feel about that... he'd wanted to be in the evil criminal web of evil since forever but... would he really go _that _far to get in?

D-I-V-D-E-R-S-W-E-R-E-N-'-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G

"Killing's not elegant or creative." He pointed out to Lestrade later over pizza as he showed him Moriarty's message. "It's not my style."

"Well... you've got more than enough evil hours to get into the Henchman's Union." He offered before rereading the message, "But I doubt Moriarty would let you join that at this point."

John nodded grimly, "And I deserve to get a job in Moriarty's criminal web, you know I do... But killing? Really?"

Lestrade studied John for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder, "Look, at the end of the day a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do... I'm not gonna judge you if you decide to go through with this okay?" John offered him a half smile, nodding.

"Thanks Greg."

D-I-V-D-E-R-S-W-E-R-E-N-'-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G

Sherlock turned to study John in interest as he passed him in the hallway, noting a considerable difference in the man's mood and stance since the last time he'd seen him... it was almost as if he'd... changed somehow. Suddenly he found himself rethinking his initial deductions because this was not the atypical mood and behaviour of a petty criminal... "John." He called out, noting how the man swivelled around in what he supposed was an almost comical fashion to address him.

"Sherlock." He noted how his name was almost a question, as if the man couldn't quite believe he was addressing him. Well, Sherlock supposed, this man had observed more of his behavioural patterns than most could claim to... so it probably would be surprising that Sherlock was addressing him. Still, that observation was of little consequence so he pushed it aside.

"I would appreciate your second opinion on a couple of cases if you wouldn't mind sparing a few moments." John's surprise became even more evident now as he undoubtedly wandered what a consulting detective could possibly need a second opinion for. Of course, he didn't need it, he just wanted an excuse to observe the ex-doctor more closely and he'd already concluded that dating was a particularly unpleasant way to extract such data for analysis... not that dating would be quite as unpleasant with John as it was with the Colonel he imagined. After all, John seemed to provide considerably better company and he was certainly aesthetically pleasing... He couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden direction his thought processes seemed to have taken, quickly redirecting them to assessing the man's character and not the confusing feelings of warmth that the man's smile seemed to be the cause of as he agreed to Sherlock's requests.

John sat and watched in fascination as Sherlock took apart his latest theory about the double suicide case that Sherlock had been given, barely caring about the insinuations to his lack of intellect because, to be honest, nobody could quite match the brilliance of this man. And seeing him and work, seeing the passion in his eyes as he carefully unpicked the case, was something quite remarkable to behold... he knew he was probably staring at Sherlock like a lovesick puppy right about now but he was past caring because Sherlock more than deserved his awe. For a few moments he'd even managed to forget about Moriarty's threats and the impending choice he'd have to make as a result of them... because Sherlock was finally talking to him... well more at him than to him in that moment but John didn't really care about that part.

"...Which is why the obvious culprit was the sister considering she not only had the greatest motive but she was also the only one wearing red sneakers." John almost felt like applauding the man wondering, not for the first time, why he didn't get more praise for what he did... because "That was... amazing."

A slight smile quirked the corners of Sherlock's lips, "You think so?"

John looked at Sherlock almost incredulously as he replied "Of course, it was extraordinary, quite extraordinary."

"That's not what people normally say."

"What do people normally say?" John asked, genuinely curious as to how people couldn't marvel at Sherlock's abilities.

"Piss off." Sherlock replied, a wry grin curling up the corners of his lips.

"I guess people just don't recognise brilliance when they see it then..." John replied, offering Sherlock a slight smile in return as he realised that this was the first time the man had ever smiled at him, "I mean, I'm not nearly as brilliant as you but I'm struggling to be recognised for what I can do... I mean, I know I'm qualified for this job I'm applying for... but I just can't get my foot in the door."

Sherlock seemed to give this a little thought before replying, "That would explain your sudden change in behavioural patterns and mood over the past day." John couldn't help but note that he almost sounded disappointed, yet he couldn't help but feel a little relieved to know that Sherlock hadn't caught on to the real reason he'd been acting shifty... as interesting as Sherlock seemed to find killers, he highly doubted the man wanted to be friends with one... if that's what they were now (and a part of John hoped that they could be at the very least that, he just wanted to be a part of this slightly insane yet remarkable man's life in any way he could). "Well John, the greatest advice I can offer you is to keep trying. On the odd occasion that I receive a challenging case, I often have to approach it from several angles before I'm able to reach its solution. Perhaps in order to gain this job, you also need to apply yourself to the problem in different ways, consider all its possible solutions and find one which will result in success." John nodded, not entirely confident that there was another angle to view committing murder from but he appreciated the effort Sherlock was making to help him all the same. "I have faith that you will find that solution John."

John's eyes snapped to Sherlock's face, noting that he seemed just as surprised as John was by the words that had just come out of his mouth. "Um... thanks Sherlock." The consulting detective nodded, scrutinising John for a moment in a way that, if it were anyone else, John could convince himself was romantic interest... and for a moment he allowed himself to enjoy the fantasy... of course that had to be the moment that said fantasy was painfully tugged from underneath him by a knock at the door.

"That's probably the Colonel..." John liked to think Sherlock looked a little disappointed at the thought of the Colonel being here.

"Well, look at the time, I have to go..."

"You're not wearing a watch John, I fail to see how looking at your wrist would inform you of the time..." John internally cursed Sherlock's observational skills, desperately trying to think up a decent excuse.

"I wrote a reminder on my hand... there's somewhere I really have to be right now... I'm sorry." He opened the door, moving to rush out of the apartment having completely forgotten that Moran was standing outside and, as a result, colliding straight into him... well _fuck._

"Oh, sorry." Moran said, smirking in a way that spoke volumes about just how 'sorry' he really was.

"John, this is Colonel Moran." Sherlock supplied, clearly sensing the tension between them as he subtly moved to separate the arch nemesis'... unfortunately this meant he ended up a lot closer to the Colonel than John would have liked...

"Oh! John, the ex-doctor across the hall... well it is very nice to meet you... You know, you look very familiar... are you sure we haven't met?" _Smug bastard_John thought bitterly as he reluctantly shook the man's hand.

"One of those faces I guess." He replied, wishing that the phrase _if looks could kill_ could take immediate literal effect in that moment because if it did, Moran's death would be a messy one. "...Well, this is great. I wish I could stay and talk but..."

"Leaving so soon John?" The Colonel asked. The jerk was practically taunting him now as he slung an arm around Sherlock's waist... "Well it sure was nice to meet you... do take care of yourself I mean, those bruises on the side of your face look painful."

John had to use every shred of willpower not to glare at the man in front of him, forcing himself to remain calm as he replied. "Work accident, I'm fine now." He internally cursed again as he saw Sherlock's eyes light up in curiosity, clearly remembering what he'd said earlier about wanting that job and dammit why did he have to notice every little thing except what an utter bastard Colonel Moran was.

"Glad to hear it, see you around." The Colonel said all the while wearing that infuriatingly smug smirk of his as he led Sherlock into the flat, pausing only to wink at John in a way that spoke of exactly why Moran had decided to pay a visit before shutting the door in John's face. He stared at the panelling for a moment, Sherlock's earlier words echoing in his mind _'consider all possible solutions and find the one which will result in success'_. A slight smile turned up the corners of John's lips as he walked across to his own apartment, ideas teaming in his mind... maybe Moran's death would be messy after all...

D-I-V-D-E-R-S-W-E-R-E-N-'-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G

_This appeared as a moral dilemma,  
'Cause at first I was torn though I swore to eliminate,  
The sickness that plagued and devoured humanity,  
It's true I was vague on the How,  
So how can it be that you - have shown me the light?_

_It's a brand new day,_  
_And the sun is high,_  
_All the birds are singing' that you're gonna die,_  
_How I hesitated,_  
_Now I wonder why,_  
_It's a brand new day!_

_All the lies and the furniture throwing I'll forgive,_  
_All those crimes incomplete, listen honestly I'll live,_  
_Mr. Calm, Mr. Right and 'Above it all' is through_  
_Now my future's so bright and I owe it all to you - who showed me the light!_

_It's a brand new John,_  
_I've got no mercy,_  
_And soon the Colonel won't be such a mystery,_  
_He'll be proved a fraud,_  
_I'll show Moriarty,_  
_It's a Brand New Day!_

_And Sherlock will see the Evil Me,_  
_Maybe then I won't seem like a failure._  
_We'll say goodbye to a boring life_  
_And from people like Moran I swear I'll be his saviour._

_It's a brand new day,_  
_Yeah the sun is high,_  
_All the angels sing because you're gonna die!_

_Go ahead and laugh,_  
_Yeah, I'm a funny guy,_  
_Tell everyone goodbye,_  
_It's a brand new day!_

__John shook himself from his fantasy, smiling in satisfaction as he ran a hand almost reverently over his finished contraption. _Watch out Colonel,_ he thought as a slight smirk curled the corners of his lips,_ it's a brand new day._

**A/N: Firstly I must apologise for not rewriting more of these songs, the fact is a lot of the lyrics fit too well already so I'd probably just end up coping and pasting lyrics into a word document... hope you enjoyed my (badly) rewritten version of 'Brand New Day' at the end of this chapter though :)**

**So... next chapter is Act 3 *cue dramatic music*. The good news is it's already almost finished so it should be posted soon (a few days at the most). I'd love to hear your thoughts on that chapter- in particular, what you think the outcome will be... so let me know!**

**Also let me know what you thought of this chapter. Loved it? Hated it? Let me know :)**

**Until the next time... Peace (...but not literally ;) ).**


	3. Act 3

**A/N: Yes Act 3 has arrived... *cue dramatic music* I know that those of you who have stuck with my madness are probably nervously anticipating this act so I won't keep you from reading it too long ;) I just want to say thank you again to my lovely readers/followers and in particular, a special thank you to the lovely **_**Neiraaa**_** who I dedicate this act to **

**I love you all... hopefully you'll still love me after this ;) Enjoy!**

Doctor Watson's Sing Along Blog- Act 3

Hey everyone, Molly here giving you the latest update on the Colonel's activities. Well rumour has it, he and the man he heroically saved from certain death, Sherlock Holmes, are really in love. The Colonel's even taking him to that official ceremony that the mayors holding! So romantic :) What do you guys think? Comment below- Molly H x

moranmarryme: I actually met him the other day! He and that Sherlock guy were out on a date and he actually signed a picture for me! Life=complete.

Mollyh: That's great! Do you think the rumours about him and Sherlock being in love are true?

moranmarryme: They were kind of cute together... but I don't think it'll last. That Sherlock guy seemed kind of uncomfortable with the attention... maybe he can't stand the Colonel's fame. Don't worry Moran, we all still love you! 3 x

thecolonelofmyheart: I heard that Sherlock's a sociopath which means he can't really love the Colonel. I say he dumps Holmes and goes for a _real _woman... I'm available ;)

cm4eva: I think they're kind of sweet I mean, I think he works for the police or something so... it's kind of meant to be. Like the ultimate-super-power-couple, stopping crime and that kind of thing... though it is a bit weird that he doesn't eat sometimes.

thecolonelofmyheart: Yeah I saw that story! The Colonel took him out to a really fancy restaurant and he ordered tap water... and that was it! How ungrateful is that?

cm4eva: Well at least it's clear he's not using him for the money if he's not making Moran pay for expensive meals.

Mollyh: Good point, he seems a lot less materialistic than Irene.

thecolonelofmyheart: I think everyone's less materialistic than Irene. That girl was a real b****

Mollyh: Please, no swearing on the blog.

superfan101: Apparently he said in an interview that he's stayed with Sherlock this long because the clever ones are meant to do the weird stuff... you know like kinky weird.

thecolonelofmyheart: I wouldn't blame him, I'd do all kinds of crazy s*** to that man.

Mollyh: There are children that follow this blog, please refrain from using that kind of language.

thecolonelofmyheart: The blogs called f***yeahcolonelmoran... any kids here already know plenty about that kind of language.

moranisamoron: I wouldn't be so sure that they'll last forever. Rumour has it that Moran's made a powerful enemy.

Mollyh: What do you mean? Please keep Moran hate off the thread.

moranisamoron: You'll see soon enough.  
_

Sherlock internally sighed at the lengths he was having to go to keep up this charade. Sitting through the mayor's long winded speech about justice's name being Colonel Moran had been almost pitifully stereotypical. Perhaps the mayor should spend less time celebrating this so-called hero that, by this point, Sherlock was almost certain was a complete fraud and more time learning to write a decent speech, or at least one that was a little less mind numbingly dull than this one had been. He reluctantly applauded as Colonel Moran took to the stage to deliver his own speech, allowing his mind to wander for a moment to an infinitely more interesting subject... _John_.

The man who seemed full of surprises from the way he'd clearly recognised the Colonel which provided Sherlock with some suspicion that perhaps he'd severely misjudged John's criminal status. As false as the Colonel may be, from what he'd heard his villain had considerable more substance and potential... was it possible that John was the infamous 'doctor' (whose last name Sherlock had long since deleted, something he now regretted as he tried to slot the final pieces of the puzzle together) that the Colonel had dubbed his arch nemesis? It seemed probable to the point that Sherlock had to internally reprimand himself for not piecing together the evidence sooner. He'd been so focussed on what had clearly been a stroke of chance in favour of Colonel Moran that he'd missed the real mystery unfolding right in front of him.

He tuned into the Colonel's speech just in time to hear him boastfully claim that everyone was a hero in their own 'not that heroic' way, immediately wishing he'd had the sense to continue to block out the man's ridiculously egotistical speech as Moran then went on to make false claims about all the sex they'd supposedly had... remarkable really, he mused, that he hadn't seen how unremarkable the man in front of him was sooner. John on the other hand, John was _interesting_ and, based on his earlier reactions to him, John was _attractive_, at least to Sherlock... And based on John's own reactions to Sherlock whenever they'd been in close proximity, the feeling was mutual... a matter worth further study, Sherlock decided with a half-smile as he used his phone to access the criminal's blog, knowing that he'd enjoy this 'case' considerably more than the last.

John eyed the rows of simpering Colonel fans with something akin to disgust as he put the final preparations in place... this time, it was Moran who wasn't ready for him. _Oh how the tables have turned_, he thought wryly, cocking his freeze ray, fully primed and ready to do. _Time to find the solution that'll result in success... no time for mercy this time Johnny boy, it's time to show them exactly why you belong in Moriarty's web._

The freeze ray made impact, freezing that self satisfied look on Moran's face in an almost comical expression to which John responded with his new and improved evil laugh (Ella would be proud), causing a collective gasp from his quite literally captive audience. "Funny how you're finally scared now your so called hero's still as the grave... it's almost poetic I guess, since he'll soon be needing one." He added, taking a weird kind of delight in the way the crowd reacted to his words. He could see a few of them move to leave so he pulled out his other weapon, the one he'd been keeping under wraps until now. "Ladies and gentlemen, please stay in your seats, I'd hate to have to test this out on anyone but our good friend the Colonel here... want to know what I call it? It's my death ray." He fired one shot into the ceiling to emphasize his words, taking a bit more smug satisfaction as he noted the way everyone's gaze followed the gun fearfully, none of them daring to move from where they sat. "Take some notes," He said, turning to the press, "Hero's are over with, it's Dr. Watson's turn..." His eyes scanned the room, looking for a certain pair of blue eyes and letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding when he realised that Sherlock wasn't here.

He turned his attention back to the Colonel, not noticing the man slowly standing up from where he'd been crouched, observing Doctor Watson's threats with a level of fascination that would probably disturb most people... but Sherlock Holmes was far from being like most people so therefore he could recognise that Doctor Watson was truly glorious... all that confidence and brilliance that Sherlock had been able to see, all that potential gleaning beneath the surface... now he could finally see it in action, finally fully appreciate the man who he'd been, admittedly, foolish enough to ignore all this time. But it was equally foolish to regret a past he could not change, far better to look to a future which, Sherlock hoped, would feature far more of the not-so-petty-after-all criminal.

John was just about to finally perform the evil deed that would get him into Moriarty's evil criminal web of evil... this was finally gonna happen... _and _he'd manage to get rid of his arch nemesis too... like killing two birds with a stone... or a death ray... but then he'd gotten cocky... and the freeze ray had stopped working. "That's not a good sound..." Was just about all he managed to get out before Moran's fist was in his face, sending the death ray flying and causing it collide with the floor in a way that John was sure had just ruined all chances of his plans becoming a reality and dammit he was such an idiot! Why did he waste all that time when he could have just killed the bastard!

"A Death-Ray?" The Colonel commented, almost impressed by Doctor Watson's nerve, this was certainly a new level of attempted criminology for the doc, pity really that he'd let his opportunity go to waste... but Moran was a survivor, which meant bye bye Doctor Watson. He couldn't say he'd miss him too much, not when he was finally starting to get good enough to possibly beat the Colonel one day... "Looks like Dr. Watson's moving up... well, let's see if this one works any better than your others."

"Don't be an idiot Moran, the ray's unstable it..."

"I don't have time for your warnings... as my boyfriend Sherlock would say, they're dull..." He said, lips curling into a smirk at the visible effect the words had on his nemesis. He really hoped John had been there to hear his little speech earlier... he could only imagine how worked up that would've gotten him. "Say goodnight Doctor Watson."

The room exploded in a flash of colour as the ray backfired, sending Moran flying across the room to collide with one of the walls. A satisfying crunch gave away the broken bones. People quickly flocked to the sobbing 'hero', lifting him and somehow (despite his squirming) managing to get him out of the room on a stretcher. John watched him go with a weird sense of satisfaction. Sure this probably meant Moriarty would kill him for his failure but what he could definitely say for certain was that he'd successfully defeated his nemesis... so at least he'd be remembered for something. His eyes surveyed the remains of his death ray scattered across the room as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He was just about to leave when a faint 'John' caught his attention... and when he turned to the source of the noise, he really wished it hadn't.

"Sherlock?" He quickly rushed to the man's side, noticing the shard of death ray that seemed to have pierced the man's stomach and... _no please no it wasn't meant to happen this way_. "Hold on. Oh no no no no no..."

"John do me a favour, give my regards to Jim Moriarty... tell him he's finally... won."

"No no no... he hasn't okay? Sherlock, stay with me we're gonna get help...we're gonna..."

"John..." Sherlock smiled at him but for once John found he couldn't smile back, even if Sherlock's smiles were still one of the rarest but most amazing things he'd ever seen... because he knew this might be the last time he ever saw it. "John, it's okay." A hand came up to brush along the side of John's face, he clasped it desperately.

"No it's _not _okay... but we're gonna make it okay I promise I...Sherlock?" John shook his head slightly in denial as Sherlock's hand loosened its grip, as his body noticeably sagged in his arms. He moved a finger to check the man's pulse, a half remembered instinct from him time training to be a doctor... there wasn't one.

He ignored the press as they swarmed around him, carrying Sherlock's body out of the room and placing him on another stretcher provided by the ambulance that'd arrived. He didn't allow himself to cry... he knew Jim would be watching after all and he couldn't afford that kind of weakness, not when he was finally a member of the evil criminal web of evil... it was a hollow victory.

**A/N: So... on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you hate me? ;) Would it help if I told you this isn't the last chapter? There's a short epilogue to this story which I should post either later on today or tomorrow. Hopefully you'll all like it :)**

**So... let me know what you think, even if you hate me right now I want to know about it ;)**


	4. Encore

**A/N: I've left a mammoth one of these at the bottom of this chapter so I'll keep this short and sweet. A HUGE thank you to everyone who's ever read/reviewed/followed this story. It means the world to know people enjoy your craziness, believe me and so I dedicate this final bonus chapter to all of you, I call it 'Doctor Watson's Sing Along Blog- Encore'. Enjoy!**

Doctor Watson's Sing Along Blog- Encore

John didn't go to Sherlock's funeral for two reasons the first being that he simply didn't have the time anymore, working for Moriarty was a full time occupation and now Moriarty knew he could kill? He was practically indispensible to him. He'd heard several other people in the web saying that if he kept things up at this rate he'd probably end up being Moriarty's right hand man by the end of the year... but none of it seemed to excite him in the way he'd thought it would. Which links back to the second reason he didn't go, he couldn't bear any kind of reminder of Sherlock, not now that he'd lost the man, not when all he could remember was that shinning brilliance leaving the man's eyes forever... it was unbearable. Which was why he'd vowed to himself the moment he'd joined the criminal web that he wouldn't feel a thing... after all, caring was _not _an advantage in a lifestyle such as his. Sherlock had well and truly proven that.

...But he couldn't get past those feelings. The ones of guilt, of self-hatred, of heartache... which was why, after a month of frustrated looks and impatient sighs Moriarty had actually ordered him to go and visit Sherlock's grave because 'all this mourning is depressing Johnny boy and depressing is dull'. So here he stood in front of the grave he'd never want to face. _Sherlock Holmes._ He ran his hand across the letters almost reverently before letting it drop to his side.

"Hey, so I guess you finally know the truth... I'm a criminal. You'd have probably caught me sooner or later... you were always brilliant like that. I probably don't even have the right to say things like that about you anymore, not after what happened... but you have to know how amazing you were. That you were the best man and the most human, human being that I have ever known. I watched you for years on the sidelines, always too scared to actually say anything to you... a bit like a stalker now I think about it, it's amazing you never realised... hell, I even had Lestrade spy on you for me. I'm sure he'll forgive me blowing his cover considering you're not exactly consulting the police anymore... no one will ever convince me that you weren't incredible because you were and I wish more people could've seen it... I guess there's nothing left to say now except I loved you, though you probably already knew that and... one more thing. One more miracle, Sherlock... I know you didn't believe in them but please, for me... Don't be... dead." For a moment he stared at the grave, almost expecting the name to morph into someone else's (preferably Moran's... he never had found out his first name so he couldn't fully visualize the switch, still it was a nice fantasy) and for Sherlock to be back in 221b Baker Street solving crimes, maybe even chasing after him... but the words still stared back in brutal clarity. _Sherlock Holmes._ This is the price you paid Watson, now live with it.

He was about to turn and walk away from the grave when he noticed a faint movement in the corner of his vision. New instincts from working for Moriarty made him reach for his death ray without thought as he spun to confront this observer, hoping that whoever it was, it wasn't _the woman_... of all the people in Moriarty's criminal web, she was definitely the one he got on with the least. Unfortunately, Jim seemed to respect her and, he supposed, any woman capable of putting up with the Colonel long enough to extract information deserved some level of respect... still, the knowledge that she'd tried to do the same to Sherlock had well and truly guaranteed their enmity. He hated her, just like he hated all reminders of what he'd lost.

It wasn't the woman.

He vaguely noted the faint footprints in the snow beside his own, footprints he'd missed in his solemn musings but that proved the reality of the figure watching him from between the trees of the graveyard. His hand loosened around the ray in shock as he tentatively stepped closer to the figure, as if scared that they'd disappear if he moved too close. A faint murmur of _'John_' whispered along the wind. The barrier broke between reality and miracles. "Sherlock?" The figure smiled.

**A/N: Okay I believe that you're all probably a bit confused right now, allow me to explain;**

**Sherlock was reading some of the entries on John's blog and he stumbled across the posts about the Evil Criminal Web of Evil. Bearing in mind that Sherlock has already encountered Moriarty in the past, he know automatically exactly what he'd be asking of John, especially after his failure in his previous heist. So when Sherlock realises that John's plan has failed, he improvises amid the panicked chaos of Moran getting injured/the gun exploding and he takes a piece of shrapnel from the gun explosions and makes it look like he's been 'killed' in the explosion. The hardest part of all this is fooling Moriarty, in order to do this he knows he also has to fool John so he 'dies' in his arms, knowing this will secure John's future in the criminal web. Sherlock then stayed in the shadows until John was indispensible to Moriarty (which by the point of the epilogue he practically is, meaning that it's safe for Sherlock to come out of hiding). He used his brother's contacts in order to pull off the ruse; they declared him 'dead' in his 'post mortem' and even had a body buried in his place.**

**Now the tricky part... the pulse? Breathing exercises (yes these do actually exist) to slow his heart rate. The pulse would have been slow enough to make someone in their rational mind question it, however, John is not entirely rational at this point so when he feels for Sherlock's pulse, he expects there to be none. His mind is suggestive, therefore, the slower pulse translates to a lack of one in John's mind.**

**So to summarise, Sherlock is REALLY good at thinking on his feet (he is a genius after all) and I pulled a Reichenbach on you all ;)**

**Okay so did you like it? Hate it? Hate me for leaving it like that? ;) Whatever your feelings, I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who've been reading/following/reviewing for your support! It means the world :)**

**A special thanks to my four lovely reviewers **_**sydg813**_**, **_**rosto4rogue**_** (x2)**_**, Neiraaa**_** and **_**ScreenwriterKitteh**_** whose words of support brought a huge smile to my face. You're all amazing, thank you.**

**I hope you all enjoyed 'Dr Watson's Sing Along Blog' as much as I enjoyed writing it :)**

**All my love,**

**Chasing Aspirations xxx**


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